Systems and methods for virtual personal Wi-Fi network

Abstract

A wireless communication network includes a plurality of first electronic devices configured for wireless communication, at least one second electronic device configured for wireless communication, and at least one access point configured to wirelessly receive client data from, and transmit network data to, the plurality of first electronic devices and the at least one second electronic device. The wireless communication network further includes a virtual private wireless communication sub-network that includes the plurality of first electronic devices and excludes the at least one second electronic device. The virtual private wireless communication sub-network is configured to enable each of the plurality of first electronic devices to automatically connect with the wireless communication network.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of implementing a virtual private wireless network (VPWN) within a wireless communication network, the method implemented by a first Wi-Fi-enabled device having a processor and memory, the method comprising the steps of:
 storing a user-defined service set identifier (SSID) and a user-defined security key in the memory; 
 scanning for one or more wireless networks that support of the VPWN; 
 identifying the wireless communication network from among the one or more wireless networks; 
 transmitting the user-defined SSID and the user-defined security key to the wireless communication network; 
 instructing the wireless network to enable the user-defined SSID and the user-defined security key at a target access point (AP) configured to wirelessly communicate according to a communication protocol of the first Wi-Fi-enabled device; 
 pushing the user-defined SSID and the user-defined security key to a second Wi-Fi-enabled device associated with a user of the first Wi-Fi-enabled device; and 
 authorizing the second Wi-Fi-enabled device to automatically discover the user-defined SSID and the user-defined security key enabled at the target AP. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of storing comprises a substep of configuring a preferred SSID and a preferred security key as the user-defined SSID and the user-defined security key, respectively. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the substep of configuring is executed before the step of scanning. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the substep of configuring is executed after the step of scanning, but before the step of transmitting. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, after the step of authorizing, the step of automatically connecting the second Wi-Fi-enabled device to the target AP upon discovery of the user-defined SSID and the user-defined security key at the target AP. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of instructing comprises a substep of disabling the user-defined SSID and the user-defined security key on the target AP when the first and second Wi-Fi-enabled devices are disconnected from the target AP. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of instructing comprises a substep of disabling the user-defined SSID and the user-defined security key on the target AP after a predetermined duration.